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Rotax Alternative?

N

NCGAPilot

Active Member
I know that the RV-12 was designed around the Rotax 912 series, however the Rotax engine also runs better on mogas fuel, and there are no airports in my area that has mogas as a fuel. I know there are many things you can do to have your Rotax run on 100LL, however the end is always the same, you'll still get more wear and tear on the Rotax with 100LL fuel and it won't last as long as when you run it on mogas.

Has anyone found a suitable alternative to the Rotax for RV-12 that doesn't cut too much into the usable load? I only ask because one of the mission for the RV-12 (for me) will be taking me camping in the mountains. I only weigh 135lbs (5'5") and I'd very much like to keep the 50 pounds baggage area for my camping gear.

Thoughts?
 
Engines

NCGAPilot said:
I know that the RV-12 was designed around the Rotax 912 series, however the Rotax engine also runs better on mogas fuel, and there are no airports in my area that has mogas as a fuel. I know there are many things you can do to have your Rotax run on 100LL, however the end is always the same, you'll still get more wear and tear on the Rotax with 100LL fuel and it won't last as long as when you run it on mogas.

Has anyone found a suitable alternative to the Rotax for RV-12 that doesn't cut too much into the usable load? I only ask because one of the mission for the RV-12 (for me) will be taking me camping in the mountains. I only weigh 135lbs (5'5") and I'd very much like to keep the 50 pounds baggage area for my camping gear.

Thoughts?
Click to expand...

Hi Both the Viking FH 110 Honda Based engine & the UL Power engines seems to be suitable alternatives that I am looking at.. Both are availible in the USA & seem like good engines one Liquid Cooled & one Air Cooled see what You think of them!
 
Jab

Don't forget that the Jab people in Tennessee are working on a 12 with a 2200 Jabiru engine to offer as an alternative. You might get in touch with them.
 
And with that said, why not just do the same thing as many other mogas users and ferry your own fuel to your own bird whenever it's time to fuel at your home airport? Our 0-320 ran better on mogas and using the family tanker (simply a K-Car with a boat fuel tank in the trunk, plus 12V pump, ground wire and fuel filter) our family flew for far less $$ than would have been the case with 100LL. Developing a safe, workable scheme for fueling with mogas is likely to be FAR simpler than changing to a different engine.

I think you'll find lots of threads here on "self" fueling. Try 'fuel funnel' and 'mogas' for starters.

Jack
 
Mogas

Jack,

Too bad the Mogas STC for the 320 doesn't allow ethanol. Hard to find these days without.

Pete
 
Jack Tyler said:
And with that said, why not just do the same thing as many other mogas users and ferry your own fuel to your own bird whenever it's time to fuel at your home airport? Our 0-320 ran better on mogas and using the family tanker (simply a K-Car with a boat fuel tank in the trunk, plus 12V pump, ground wire and fuel filter) our family flew for far less $$ than would have been the case with 100LL. Developing a safe, workable scheme for fueling with mogas is likely to be FAR simpler than changing to a different engine.

I think you'll find lots of threads here on "self" fueling. Try 'fuel funnel' and 'mogas' for starters.

Jack
Click to expand...

The only problem with this set up is how do you re-fuel on XC trips? You'd have to use 100LL, unless you land at the rare airport that actually has Mogas.
 
In Europe the Rotax 912 has been around a lot longer than Stateside - certainly in any number.

It runs quite happily on 100LL - the TBO in both hours (2000) and calendar time (15 years) is the same. Is there any proof that they don't last as long when running 100LL?

At work we sell the Tecnam range of Rotax-powered aircraft. Certified aircraft (including an IFR twin) that will run either 100LL or Mogas (up to 10% ethanol) with no restictions apart from different servicing requirements when running more than 30% 100LL (oil and filter change at 50hrs, spark plugs at 100 hrs). We've put 250hrs on our twin in 6 months running 100LL without a sniff of a problem.

So, has anyone got any genuinely real examples of problems when running 100LL in their 912....?
 
if i had a 912 .......

i would think nothing of running it on 100LL. 25 hr oil changes does the job.
curtissa12.jpg
 
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